Stereotyping process and mechanism



Nov. 28, 1933. M w, BRUESHABER 1,937,493

STEREOTYPING PROCESS AND MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 28, 1933. M. w. BRUESHABER STEREOTYPING PROCESS AND MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN! 'ILNT A.

AH JVEY NOV. 28, 1933. M w BRUESHABER 1,937,493

STEHEOTYPING PROCESS AND MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 xi I :3 w V g g l\ s o L Ci 7/;

1933- M. w. BRUESHABER STEREOTYPING PHQCESS AND M ECHANISM Filed May 12, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 L U L 43 Nov. 28, 1933. M. w. BRUESHABER STEREOTYPING PROCESS AND MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 all]! I II 111 1 6 INVENTOR.

.-1TTONEY Patented Nov. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Martin W. Brueshaber, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goss Printing Press Company, a corporation ti Illinois Application May 12, 1928:. Serial No. 277,224

4 Claims.

The invention relates to a novel and useful process and mechanism for producing, treating and disposing of stereotype plates, and for improving, controlling and correlating the stereoi' typing operations generally in connection with the operation of the press room of a newspaper or other publication.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will 1W be obvious herefrom', or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one zo embod-iment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan of a part of the za -press-room of a newspaper, and illustrates in like manner an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse elevation, partly diagrammatic and with parts broken away, substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, partly broken away, looking from the line 33 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the casting mechanisms and of the metal supplying mechanism therefor shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary modification showing automatic control mechanism for the delivery of crushed metal to the individual reserve of a casting machine;

Fig. 10 is a similar view to Fig. 9 showing the mechanism in a different position.

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail view of the top limit switch;

Fig. 12 is a sectional detail of the bottom limit switch; and

Fig. 13 is a diagram of the control circuits.

The invention is directed to handling, controlling-and correlating in a new, speedier, easier,

more organized, correlated, efiicient, and otherwise improved manner the entire stereotyping situation and operations of a press room, and it finds probably its best field of application in" connection with the press rooms of large daily newspapers.

The invention provides a new and useful process, mechanism and mechanical system for treating and disposing of the used and discarded stereotype plates from a press, and for the re+ plenishment therefrom of the molten metal'for casting new plates without manual handling'or direct supervision; In accordance with certain features of the invention, and preferentially in practice, the disposal of the used and discarded plates and also the replenishment therefrom of the molten metal supply are effected substantiaily entirely automatically, the disposal of used plates being in sequential or proportional relation to the changing and discarding of plates at the press, and the replenishment of the molten metal supply being likewise in sequential and proportional relation to the rate of making stereotype plates, at any time and under any particular conditions of running of the presses. The invention is especially efficient and advantageous as employed with a plurality of stereotyping mechanisms and a plurality of presses operating as a single production unit.

By my invention the used plates are discarded at the press side whenever this may be, and Without further attention are conveyed'away and stored as a reserve, and by means of this variable reserve, the' rate at which they are discarded ceases tube a material factor in the conduct and control of the press room, and all manual storing and personar supervision of the discarded plates are obviated. The metal from this reserve, in whatsoever form it may be, considering the broader features of the invention, is resupplied 95 to the melting pots of one, or a plurality of stereotype casting machines, irrespective of the number of such machines which may be employed, or the rate at which the various machines may be operating, without further attention, and .00 at such rate as may be necessary to maintain a substantially full supply of molten metal, irrespective of variations in the rate of casting new plates or of discarding of used plates. As indicated, the usual manual handling of the used 105. plates, such as removing them from a conveyor and stacking them, and subsequently carrying them to, and'putting them into the melting pot" of the casting machine or machines is avoided.

Thereby is obviated not only the manual labor 11.6:

heretofore required, but also the necessity for supervision of these various, and other allied, operations. But further than this, by my invention, the entire production of new and the disposal of used, and discarded stereotype plates is transformed into a self-regulating and automatically correlating system, accommodating itself to the changes in the press room conditions attendant on getting out the successive editions.

My invention comprises, as preferentially and broadly considered, a process and mechanism for conveying away from the press side the used and discarded stereotype plates, automatically comminuting and storing same in some suitable manner irrespective of the rate of discarding the plates at the press, and for replenishing the melting pots of one or more stereotype plate casting machines from said storage of comminuted re serve metal in substantial proportion to the withdrawal of molten metal from the respective melting pots dependent upon the rate of plate casting by the corresponding casting machines.

In the present preferred embodiment and manner of practicing my invention, the used stereotype plates discarded at the press side are automatically conveyed away, are then crushed into relatively small fragments and the fragments stored in a general reserve or magazine. Thereby the rate of disposal of the discarded plates is rendered independent, in a mechanical system, of the current rate of casting new plates. From this general storage or reserve of the comminuted metal of the discarded plates, metal is supplied to one or more individual reserves or magazines of the comminuted metal, corresponding to one or a plurality of melting pots of platecasting machines. This preferential use of a general reserve and of the individual casting machine reserves bestows an additional automatic flexibility, or capacity for self-adjustment on the system. The supply of comminuted stereotype metal to hot metal reservoirs of the casting machines is preferably effected automatically andby, or concurrently with, the pumping of the metal from the melting pot into the mold, and in compensating quantity. Thus the replenishment of molten-metal for any or all of the casting machines is automatic, is proportional to the withdrawal of such metal in plate casting, and is entirely independent, in a mechanical system, from the rate of discarding the used plates at the presses.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description, and the following detailed description as well, are exemplary and explanatory of the invention, but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the invention illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, the invention is shown applied to the press-room of a large daily newspaper. Three presses (Figs. 1 and 2), 10, 11 and 12 of the now commonly used "unit type are shown in side-by-side position, each press consisting of a plurality of perfecting units arranged in single horizontal series with folding mechanisms interposed in the seriesrirg ;a wellknown manner. The stereotype plate-casting means diagrammatically illustrated comprises four units 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the double junior auto-plate type, although they be of any form desired. Each of these plate-casting units is provided with a corresponding plate-finishing mechanism, numbered 17, 18, 19 and 20. These plate-finishing units, respectively, discharge the finished plates onto a conveyor 21, which may be of any known or other suitable form. This conveyor passes along the sides and around the ends of the several presses to convey the new stereotype plates thereto, and to convey away therefrom the used and discarded stereotype plates.

in accordance. with my invention, an automatically maintained reserve of metal from the used and discarded stereotype plates ismalntained, and in accordance with certain features of the invention, the discarded stereotype plates are crushed or comminuted, and a reserve of this comminuted metal is maintained, which varies in quantity with the changes in the press-room conditions so far as regards the discarding of old plates from the presses and the putting on of new. In the preferred form of carrying out my invention, I maintain both a general reserve of stereotype metal, and preferentially in comminuted form, and also maintain an individual reserve thereof for each of the several casting machines, as thereby a greater flexibility and self-regulation and accommodation of the system of my invention is. realized or effected.

Accordingly, as embodied, a crusher 31 is provided (Figs. 1 and 2), which may be of any known or other suitable form, capacitated to crush or comminute the stereotype plates as they are delivered into the crusher. Several different kinds of mechanisms adapted to this work are available, although their use for crushing stereotype plates is novel and original with my invention. The

crusher 31 is preferably below the level of the ing at 38 into the top of this general reserve hopper 37. This hopper is shown located, like the crusher, below the level of, and with its top about even with the press room floor. There is also preferably provided the individual reserves 41 for each of the plate-casting units already generally described, although the individual or general reserve may be used without the other.

The plate casting means exemplarily shown herein are the double junior auto-plate units, each of these units having two independently operable casting mechanisms and each of these having its own melting pot or reserve of molten stereotype metal. As embodied, there is provided above each of these stereotype plate casting units an individual reserve hopper 41 (Figs. 1. 3, and 4), provided with a double discharging mcchanism for delivering individually to each of the hot-metal reservoirs of the respective machines,

independently of the operation or needs of the 3 U other, a measured quantity or quantities of the comminuted reserve metal proportionally to the depletion of the respective hot metal reservoirs through the casting of new plates by the correin its particulars of construction may be of any 3;)

1 peeps:

known or other suitable form, and is so shown. As illustrated, it comprises a longitudinally-extending trough member 44 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9) upwardly inclined toward the reserve hoppers 3541, and extending longitudinally and horizontally above these hoppers and being adapted to deliver the comminuted metal thereto at the proper time and in the desired quantities. The conveyor itself is shown with a set of endless sprocket chains 45, to which are attached the cross-wise flights or scrapers 46 which run in the trough 44, in awell-known manner. Ashort feed-on conveyor 4'? is shown for delivering the comminuted metal from the general reserve 37 to the conveyor. To deliver the comminuted metal into the individual hoppers 41, there are a series of openings in the bottom of the conveyor trough 44, above the corresponding hoppers 41 (Fig. 4), each opening having a slide 49-, mov

able to open and close the opening thereby to permit or prevent and to regulate the amount of discharge of metal into the hopper 41.

The rate and manner of feed of the comminuted metal from the reserve hopper 37 may be regulated by anydesired means, such as an adjustable slide opening in the bottom of the hopper. If desired, the comminuted metal may be discharged from the hopper 37 as rapidly as it is delivered thereinto from the crusher 31, and

. when so employed the mechanism operates mere- 1y as a series of individual reserves for the respective casting machines, while still having the capacity for creating and maintaining the general reserve whenever required or desired.

Referring now in detail to the embodied form of means for individually supplying the comminuted stereotype metal to the melting pots of the stereotype plate casting machines, devices are provided for supplying the comminuted metal in measured or predetermined quantity, and pref erably for delivering the comminuted metal into the melting pot in plate unit quantities. The metal is so delivered preferably from the respective individual reserves, and further these de iiveries of metal are preferably effected simultaneously with the pumping of the stereotype metal from the pot into the casting mechanism in casting a plate. Thereby the hot metal reservoir is maintained at substantially the same quantity,

.1 although this may be varied from quite considerably: the broad idea being that the supply of hot metal for all thestereotype machines is automatically replenished from the reserve of discarded stereotype metal, substantially proportionally to their respective needs, and that the reserve in turn independently receives the used plates at the rate at which they are discarded from the presses.

In the embodied form of means for supplying the comminuted metal to the hot metal reservoirs, each hopper 41 has two downwardly decreasingly-inclined bottom portions 57, so as to separately or individually supply the two reservoirs or melting pots of the double plate casting units employed. Each portion 57 has a dispensing mechanism located at the bottom thereof and just above the melting pot of one of the casting mechanisms; As embodied, the open bottom of each of the hoppers 57 (Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 8) terminates in a cylindrical chamber 58. Fitting rotatively within chamber 58 is a cylinder 59, fixed on a shaft 60, which is journaled at 61 and 62-in the side walls of this cylindrical part 58 of the hopper. The cylinder 59 is provided with A two'- diametrallymisposed metal receiving and discharging recesses 63,- each of which is adapted to receive a charge of the comminuted metal from the bottom of the hopper '7, and on a half revolution of the cylinder to drop the measuredcharge of metal into the melting pot beneath.

Means are preferably provided for measuring or varying the amount of the charge, and for this purpose the charge receiving and discharging recesses in the cylinder may be varied in size as required or desired. Accordingly as embodied, there is mounted as an outer part of the shell of the cylinder 59, and constituting one side wall of either of the charge-carrying recesses'63, two integral cylindrical segments 64, which are pivotally mounted and angularly adjustable to vary the size of the corresponding charge-carrying.

recess in the cylinder. For variably and simultaneously positioning the two segments 64 (Figs. 6 and 8), they are provided with a sleeve 65 (Fig. 8) constituting a bushing about shaft within its bearing 61. Exteriorly to bearing 61, sleeve is provided with a hand-wheel 66. A set screw 6'? is threaded in a threaded opening in sleeve 65 and is adapted to project into any one of several holes 68 in shaft 60 to angularly position the cylindrical segments 64, and thereby vary the size of the recesses 63 and thereby to vary and regulate the amount of metal discharged from the hopper into the melting pot. Thus, with the adjustment of the pump to discharge varied amounts of molten metal, this supplying mechanism may be likewise adjusted to correspondingly vary and regulate the quantity of comminuted metal supplied to the melting pot in replenishment.

The means for supplying the comminuted metal as embodied, is operated by the pumping of the hot metal into the casting mechanism. As shown, there is fixed to the handle 77 of the pump, a geared segment 78, which meshes with a pinion 79, which pinion is fixed on a sleeve 80 loosely mounted on the shaft 60 of the metal discharging mechanism. Fixed on the sleeve 80 is an arm 81, and pivotally mounted at 82 on said arm is a spring-pressed pawl 83, acted on by a spring 84 nested between the arm and the tail of the pawl. Fixed on shaft 60 is a circular ratchet plate 89 having two teeth 90 thereon a diameter apart. As the pump arm 77 is pressed downwardly to pump the metal from the pct 85 into the casting chamber 86, pawl 83 rotates idly on ratchet plate 89, in clockwise direction in Fig. 7, until it drops behind the opposite tooth 90. When the pump arm 77 is retracted by spring 92 by reason of pawl 83 being behind the opposite tooth 90, cylinder 58 is given a half revolution, and a unit charge of crushed metal, usually the quantity for one stereotype plate, is delivered from the hopper into the melting pot. This mechanism is enclosed within a housing 96.

Means are provided by the invention for automatically controlling the delivery of replenishing metal to the individual metal reserves or magazines of the respective casting machines, and this means may be of any known or other suitable form so far as concerns the broader features of the invention. As embodied, (Figs. 9 to 13) said means is controlled by the quantity'of the comminuted metal within the hopper 41.

Accordingly, the trap doors in the bottom of the conveyor trough 44 above each of the hoppers, is provided with mechanism for opening-and closing it, which is controlled by the level of the comminuted metal in the hopper. In said embodied form, an electrical switch mechanismlislififl.

provided, which is actuated when the comminuted metal in the hopper reaches a predetermined top limit, and another switch which is operated when the metal reaches a bottom limit; both switches controlling a. motor 134, which opens and closes a slide 49 in the bottom of conveyor 43. The top switch (Figs. 9, 10 and 11), that is, the switch which stops the feed of comminuted metal when hopper 41 is full, comprises a casing 101 fixed to the side wall of the hopper 41 near the top thereof, and pivotally mounted at 102 in the front wall of the casing is a detector casing member 103, adapted to pivotally move or slide within the outer casing 101. This detector casing member 103 is held in outer position by a helical spring 104 in tension between the pivoted casing member and a pin on a longitudinally slidable rod 109. The switch terminals 110 and 111 in the motor circuit (Figs. 11 and 13) are operated by detector member 103. The rod i. 109 is pivotally connected at 113 to the detector member 103. Rod 109 at its other end is provided with a yoked aperture 114, in which is a pin 115 fixed on a lever 115, which lever is pivoted at 117, and is provided with a tripping arm 113.

A detent and release mechanism is provided for the switch-controlling rod 109, and as shown, comprises a detent tooth 119 formed on the rod, with which cooperates a longitudinally-reciprocable pin 120, which pin is pivotally connected at 121 to one end of a bell-crank lever 122. Lever 122 is fixed to the shaft 123 of a pole-reversing switch 133 (Figs. 9, 10 and 13) for motor 134. To the other end 124 of bell-crank lever 122 is pivotally connected at longitudinally-reciprocable bar 125, which has at the other end thereof a tripping tooth 126. This tripping tooth is adapted to engage with a switch lever 12? pivotally mounted at 128, which lever operates switch 130 (Figs. 9, 10 and 13) in the circuit of motor 134. Lever 127 is impelled to the circuitclosing position by a spring 129. A polaritychanging switch 133 (Figs. 9, 10 and 13) is in the same circuit, and is connected to the shaft 123 of bell-crank lever 122.

A motor 134 is in circuit with the switch mechanisms just described. The motor shaft is connected by any suitable gear mechanism 135 to a rack-bar 136, which bar is longitudinally reciprocable and is connected to the slide 49 in the bottom of the chute 43. Projecting from the sliding bar 136 is a pin 139 (Figs. 9 and 10), adapted to engage at either endof the travel of the rack bar 136 with pins 140 and 141, projecting from the swltch-controlling sliding bar 125.

Referring now to the embodied bottom switch mechanism (Figs. 9, 10, 12 and 13), that is, the switch which starts the feed of metal from the conveyor when hopper 41 is nearly empty, a switch casing 149 is mounted within the hopper near the bottom thereof, and is provided with a detector casing member 150 pivotally mounted at 151, and slidable within casing 149. Detector member 150 is impelled outwardly by a compressed helical spring 152 (Fig. 12) within the casing. A switch 153, which is in the circuit of motor 134, is mounted within the casing. and the switch arm 154 is adapted to be momentarily closed by a spring-pressed pivoted hook .155 as the detector casing member 150 swings outwardly under the impulslon of spring 152. when the comminuted metal sinks below the level of the casing 150. Switch 133 is normally held in opencircuit positionby a. spring 156. However, when the detector casing member 150 is pressed inwardly to closed position as the comminuted metal fills the bin, pivoted hook 155 snaps past the switch arm 154 without afiecting it. Switch 153 isin the circuit 154 of a solenoid 159, the core of which is connected to a rod 160, which has a slotted yoke connection 157 into which projects a pin 158 on the switch-controlling lever 116.. Rod 109 and lever 116 may be manually operated whenever desired or required.

The operation of the mechanism just described (Figs. 9 to 13) is substantially as follows:-

The comminuted metal may be assumed to be feeding out from the hopper 41. and switches 110, 111 and 130 in the motor circuit are open, and also switch 153 in the circuit of solenoid 159. As the metal sinks past. the level of the switch casing 149, casing detector member 150 is swung outwardly by spring 152, and hook 155 momentarily close switch 153 in passing. This momentarily energizes the solenoid 159, and lever 116 is thereby swung to the right in Fig. 10. This closes switch 110. 111 in the motor power circuit, and also permits switch 130 to close under the impulsion of spring 129, as rod 125 is lifted by arm 118 of lever 116, to free tooth 126 from the switch arm 127 of switch 130. The motor circuit is now ciosed and the motor rotates in clockwise direction in Fig. 10, and slide 49 is drawn to the right to the open or feeding position, and the comininuted metal drops from conveyor 43 into hopper 41.

As soon as this opening movement of the slide is completed, motor 134 must be stopped. To effect this, tooth 139 on rack-bar 136 engages tooth 141 on controlling bar 125, thereby moving bar 125 to the right, and at the same time withdrawing pin 120 from engagement with detent tooth 119. This permits rod 109 to move to the left under the impulsion of spring 104, and the circuit is opened at 110, 111 and the motor is stopped. At the same time the polarity of switch 133 is reversed by the rocking of hellcrank lever 122. The circuit remains in this condition, that is, open at 110, 111 but closed at 130 while thehopper 41 is filling.

When the comminuted metal reaches the predetermined top limit in the hopper, the slide 49 is closed. This is effected by the metal in the hopper reaching the level of switch casing 103, when the weight of the metal rocks casing 103, closing the motor circuit at 110, 111 and the motor now rotates in counter-clockwise direction (due to the position of switch 133), and rackbar 136 and slide 49 are moved to the left. When the slide 49 is in closed position, tooth 139 on rackbar 136 engages tooth 140 on slide bar 125, and the motor circuit is opened by tooth 126 on bar 125 engaging switch arm 127, thereby opening switch 130, and thus stopping the motor. At the same time the polarity of switch'133 is again reversed as rod 125 rocks bell-crank 12 2. The mechanism will remain in this position while the hopper 41 is emptying and when the level of the comminuted metal again reaches casing 149 the cycle of operations just described will be repeated.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that a processand a mechanism for practicing the same has been provided realizing the object and advantages set forth. together with other obiects and advantages; and thatdepartures may be made from the precisemanner of carrying out the process, and from the details of structure of the mechanism. Mthout departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:-

1. A stereotype plate mechanism including in combination a plurality of plate casting mechanisms having molten metal reservoirs, means for maintaining a general stereotype metal reserve, means for supplying plates thereto as discarded from the press, means for maintaining an individual stereotype metal reserve for the various casting mechanisms, means for supplying said individual reserves from said general reserve, and means for supplying stereotype metal from said various individual reserves to the corresponding plate casting mechanism.

2. A stereotype plate mechanism including in combination a plurality of plate casting mechanisms having molten metal reservoirs, means for crushing said plates, means for maintaining a general reserve of the crushed metal, means for supplying plates to said crushing means as discarded from the press, means for maintaining individual reserves of crushed stereotype metal for the various casting mechanisms, means for supplying crushed stereotype metal to said individual reserves from said general reserve, and means for supplying the crushed metal from said various individual reserves to the corresponding plate casting mechanism.

3. In a stereotyping mechanism the combination of a hopper for crushed stereotype metal located above a reservoir for molten metal, means for supplying crushed metal to said hopper, a pair of control members in said hopper, one of said control members serving to start the supply of metal to the hopper when empty and the other stopping said supply when the hopper is full.

4. In a stereotyping mechanism, the combination of a hopper for crushed stereotype metal located above a reservoir for molten metal, means for supplying crushed metal to said hopper, a pair of control members in said hopper, one of said control members serving to start the supply of metal to the hopper when empty and the other stopping said supply when the hopper is full and means for delivering predetermined amounts of crushed metal from said hopper.

MARTIN W. BRUESHABER. 

